We sat down to chat with Etsy designer, Odile Gova to talk about her work, her inspirations, and what it’s like to sell on Etsy.With over 1500 accessories sold, countless exceptional reviews, and over four years on Etsy – Gova has shown us that you can find your niche in the vast world of online marketplaces with healthy doses of passion, innovation, and commitment! We got to take a look at her beautiful brooches, which she designs out of re-purposed thrift store material, making them both fashionable and eco-friendly.

Q: When did you start your business?A:I started doing this work about three years ago. The year prior to that I was experimenting with making felt using wool sweaters! It was my intention to work exclusively with thrifted supplies, and eventually I had quite the collection of interesting supplies. That included bags and bags of zippers, so I started using a small amount of zipper in some of the brooches I was making at the time. I really liked the look of the zipper with the felt and decided to use more of it in my work.

Q: How long does it take you to finish each piece?A:It takes between one and a half to two and a half hours for every piece I make.

Q: Do you have any particular inspirations?A:I love nature themes! Leaves, birds, butterflies – you’ll see a lot of this in my work. Mind you, I do enjoy a change every now and then and I love a bit of abstract work as well.

Q: What makes your pieces different from other artists?A:There aren’t many artists that do this kind of work… I am one of the very first, if not the first artist to put these two mediums together. There were no books to run to for instructions and I had to develop a whole new set of techniques.

Q: Do you have any advice for people trying to sell on Etsy?A:Work hard! Keep trying to make your work original and fresh. If one thing doesn’t work then move on to the next idea – I’ve done these countless times. Don’t be afraid to make a mistake, because you’ll gain really valuable experience.